The Prospitian Prince and the Strider Brothers
by JazzyKitten
Summary: Jake English is forced to leave his home planet and is to be married to either Dirk or Dave Strider - whichever he chooses - by the end of one month. Jake is convinced that this will never happen, and that he is not the type of guy who needs any prince charmings in his life. (DirkJake, slight Davekat. Cover credit to ikimaru.)
1. Welcome To Derse

_Chapter 1- Welcome To Derse_

Jake English – heir to the throne on the golden planet of Prospit – flipped through his novel with a small scowl on his face. He wanted to finish it before he was sent to Derse to be seduced by the Strider princes.

You see, Jake didn't want to go. He didn't think he needed some prince to make his dreams come true. But his grandmother had different thoughts. She wanted to stop the 100-year civil war between the two planets, and the mysterious king of Derse had only complied to the idea of one of his sons marrying the handsome Prospitian prince. Once they were married, the kingdoms would prosper in peace, and the suffering of their peoples would finally be over. Jake hardly thought this was fair, however. He had to be some piece in a game of war, and even worse, they were manipulating his entire future.

"I know you're upset, Jake," his grandmother had said at dinner a few nights before, "but you must think about what is right for our kingdom. Princes and princesses were forced to marry one another all the time in the medieval days."

"But these aren't the medieval days, Grandma! What happened to carving your own future!? Why can't Jade go?!" Jake complained. His grandmother sighed.

"Jade is far too young, Jake. And besides, the king specifically requested that _you_ stay with them. I don't want to make him upset – not when we're this close to ending this war." She hissed. Jake had huffed and rose from the table, retreating to his room to control his anger.

Jake heard a knock on the door as he remembered that night, losing interest in his novel. He folded the page and closed the front cover, throwing it into his suitcase along with some of his other belongings. He opened the door and scowled unintentionally at the person behind it.

"I'm sorry you have to go, Jakey." Jake's 10-year-old sister Jade skipped into the room, plopping down onto his bed. Jake joined her, her sudden intrusions being normal to him. "It's not fair at all."

"Thanks, Jade. I know it's not fair." He agreed. He fixed Jade's hair and she looked up at him with wide, emerald-green eyes that were similar to his.

"You're coming back, right?" She asked timidly.

"As soon as that month is over, I'll be back at home, and I'll read you bedtime stories again." Jake insisted. Jade smiled and let out a small giggle.

"Promise?"

"Cross my heat."

"Okay, good…" Jade hugged her brother and squeezed his ribs. Jake chuckled slightly and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry, I'll be just fine, and I'll send you letters every day. Have Bec come to visit." Jake smiled for the first time in days.

"I will. He'll be excited to see you." She claimed. There was another knock on the door.

"Ready to go, my prince? Your grandmother is waiting for you outside." Said Karkat in an annoyed sort of tone. Jake was used to this as well – Karkat was always tired, or otherwise upset about something.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Jake deadpanned. He gave Jade one final squeeze and zipped his suitcase shut. "Be good, okay, Jade?" Jade nodded and watched him walk out with a small frown.

"How are you feeling?" Karkat asked, rolling Jake's suitcases down the main hallway.

Jake sighed. He hugged his chest, squeezing his arms to keep his temper down. "About as good as you without coffee." Karkat didn't find this funny.

Neither of them did.

Jake walked outside, where his grandmother was waiting by a violet limo. Instead of wheels, the car had jets that spit out a small amount of flames and smoke. Jake kissed his grandmother goodbye and hugged her tightly.

"Remember to be polite, and dress nicely." She reminded. She frowned when she saw Jake's expression. "Cheer up. Happy days go by faster, Jake. Don't try to be a total shut in – the sooner you fall in love with a Strider prince, the sooner you get to come home."

His grandmother's words haunted Jake as he stared out the limo window. He watched the stars fly by, wishing that he could be there with them – pretending not to exist. Once they arrived, he stared up at the purple Dersian castle with distaste, but he took a deep breath and collected himself once again.

"Prim and proper, Jake, prim and proper." He imitated his grandmother in a low whisper as the door was opened for him. At the top of the grand violet staircase stood two blonde teenagers, which Jake assumed they were the princes. The taller one was wearing a purple and black striped vest that was marked with the small emblem of a half-empty, pink heart in the corner. He was wearing sunglasses that were spiked at the end and his hair was gelled in an unnatural way. The smaller one was also wearing a purple and black striped vest, but the heart emblem was replaced by a red gear in the same corner. His sunglasses were round, and his blonde hair waved in front of his face. In the middle of the two was a tall figure draped in a purple robe that hid his face, along with the rest of his body. Jake assumed this was the king.

Jake almost smiled. The princes were handsome, he had to admit – though he didn't understand why they wore sunglasses on such a dark planet.

"Welcome, Prince English. It is lovely to finally meet you." The king greeted, shaking his hand.

"Please, Your Highness – call me Jake." Jake forced a smile, wishing he could toss himself down the staircase. He eyeballed the people that brought his bags into the castle.

"Alright, Jake. Please, come in. We've been very excited to have you, and we hope you will find your stay most enjoyable." The king invited him in with the wave of a hand. Jake reluctantly followed, watching the princes walk in after him out of the corner of his eye. He was looking forward to seeing his room so he could stay there all month.

The Dersian castle was almost exactly like the Prospitian castle, but it was colored in different shades of violet instead of the golden color Jake was used to. Dersian servants with black colored skin roamed the halls – some with cleaning tools, and others with trays and carts. Jake watched as one approached him and bowed. He pat it's head and gave it a small smile, making the Dersian grin with delight before fleeing to the next room.

"You're quite kind, I hear." The king spoke up once more. Jake could see the glimmer of a smile from beneath his hood.

"I have to be. Citizens don't want a cold-hearted king ruling over them. They want someone who listens and gets involved with their lifestyle so that the king can learn to respect it." Jake replied. The king let out a hearty laugh.

"You sure know what it takes to rule a kingdom, huh?"

"Indeed, sir. If I didn't, I couldn't call myself a prince." Jake continued walking as the king stopped, his mouth ajar with awe.

"Quite the prince, huh, boys? Maybe Jake can teach you some things." The king's voice echoed through the hallway. Jake paused and looked back at them with a stone expression.

"Dad!" The taller one huffed with embarrassment.

"Oh, relax, Dirk, I'm only teasing you."

Dirk, huh? Well, Jake still wasn't keen on the idea of marrying either one of the princes, even though he knew one's name. They seemed quiet and shy – nothing like the adventurous and spontaneous person Jake was. But he mustn't judge too fast, he guessed. The king walked up next to him, still showing his excited, toothy grin.

"Well, Jake, I'll show you to your room. We'll see you at dinner time, then?" He lead Jake down another hallway, and the tan boy watched him wink at Dirk and the other Strider prince. Jake rolled his eyes secretly and quickly walked along down the hall. "Your things are already in here for you. Biggest room in the castle – and with a great view of the stars." The king opened a door that lead Jake to a high-roofed room. It was all violet like the rest of the castle, except for the golden suitcases that lay neatly in the corner. He looked towards a tall, glass window that laid out a sky full of shining stars and purple skyscrapers before him. It was… dark, to say the least.

"We hope you will be comfortable living here, Jake. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask. See you at dinner!" The king closed the door behind him and Jake listened to his footsteps padding down the hallway. The Prospitian prince sighed loudly and plopped down on the purple sheets of his bed. He couldn't help but be freaked out by the fact that the king spoke for his sons. Jake had only heard one word from either of the princes, and he only knew one of their names so far… Jake stared up at the cold, stony ceiling and pulled his hands behind his head.

"It's going to be a long month."


	2. Charmed

_Chapter 2- Charmed_

Jake opened his eyes, awoken by a knock sounding on his door.

"Wake up, your highneth. It'th time for dinner," said someone with a lisp. Jake groaned and rolled off the mattress. He fixed his shirt and opened the door to be met by a pale boy about his age with red and blue glasses.

"It's just Jake, thanks… I recognize you from somewhere…" Jake slipped on the formal clothes his grandmother had packed for him in his suitcase.

"You might know my twin brother. He liveth on Prothpit," he said, dully. "Come with me, pleath. I'll show you to the dining hall."

Jake followed him out the door as he slipped on his shoe. He didn't bother to look around - for he was already bored of the same purple color that haunted him. He was lead into another tall room with a large table spread out in the middle of it. Jake assumed that they had placed a golden tablecloth on it because he was visiting. The king stood from his chair when he saw the tan boy walk in. He still had that stupid grin on his face, and his hood was over his eyes.

"Ah, Jake! How are you, your highness? I take it you like your room?" The king asked. Jake sat down in the chair that the smaller prince had pulled out for him - right across from the two boring faces of the brothers.

"Yes." Jake said simply. He did not want to go into depth when he explained what he thought of the castle, and the trip overall, so he did not say anything more.

"We have a brilliant feast prepared for tonight. Please help yourself, I must attend business on the conjoining of our kingdoms." The king replied. He stood and left just as the food arrived, and Jake was secretly praying he'd come back so that he did not have to awkwardly stare at his full plate all night.

Jake barely ate anything. He only had a grape, in fact, and he chewed it slowly to force it into his nervous stomach. He looked up at Dirk and the smaller prince. "Do you speak?" He said with a raised eyebrow. Surprisingly, the smaller one let out a short laugh.

"Not with our father around," he replied with the same gleaming grin their father had. "My name's Dave; slightly-younger prince of Derse." Dave stood and kneeled by Jake's chair to kiss his hand. Jake blushed but kept his stone cold expression.

"Charmed." Jake deadpanned.

"My brother Dirk and I have been waiting for your arrival," Dave continued as he sat back in his chair. "It's been a long time since we've dined in the company of such loveliness."

"Thank you, I appreciate the compliment." Jake turned his head to the other prince. "Does he speak, too?"

"Only when he has to." Dave laughed. Jake let out a nervous chuckle and played along reluctantly. Dirk didn't seem phased by any of this.

"My name's Dirk. Yes, I do speak, despite what he says." The taller prince gestured towards his brother and shook Jake's hand. This caught both Dave and Jake by surprise, but neither of them said anything about the fact that Dirk hadn't kissed Jake's hand like Dave did.

Small-talk continued through dinner with small chuckles of laughter here and there. When the time came for Jake to return to his room, Dirk offered to walk him back. Dave said goodnight and gave Jake's hand another small peck before retiring to his own bedroom. He was quite the charmer, Jake thought. Dirk, however, didn't seem all that interested in marrying Jake, which the Prospitian prince admired. He didn't want to be treated like the game piece he knew he was.

"What's up, your highness?" Dirk asked casually as they stepped down the hall. Jake couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "What," Dirk added, "you want me to kiss your feet like my brother did?" This statement made Jake giggle and roll his eyes.

"Well, no…" He replied with a small cough to stop his giggling.

"Look, don't worry about him or me while you're here. My father poisoned Dave into thinking he has to get all flirtatious with you, but I know that you would prefer to be left alone while you're trapped here." Dirk said. Jake stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Gadzooks! Right on the nose!" He gawked. "In all honesty, I don't want to be here. I'd rather be doing my own thing in the beautiful light of my golden home-planet."

"You really love it there, huh?" Jake swore he saw the other grin, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. "I've personally never been, but I'm sure that it's as great as you say."

"Oh, it is! Maybe you can visit one day." They both stopped at Jake's bedroom doorway and turned to one another.

"Tell ya what, your highness – let's be friends." Dirk proposed. "Look at me as that weird douche that you like to hang out with instead of that weird douche you have to marry someday."

Jake complied, rolling his emerald green eyes again. "Alright, Sir Strider. You've got yourself a deal. And since we're friends, I guess you can just call me Jake." The tan boy winked playfully and Dirk showed him the smallest of smiles.

"Alright then, Jake. Goodnight. Let me know if you need anything. I'll be around in the morning to bother you again." He slid his hands into the pockets of his black jeans and Jake smiled back politely.

"I'll be looking forward to it." He joked. Dirk waved and walked off without another word as Jake walked into his bedroom. Finally, some alone time. He had been long overdue.


	3. Drama Queens

_Chapter 3 - Drama Queens_

Jake spent most of the night reading his novel, which he surprisingly hadn't finished until late at night, even though there was only one chapter left. Perhaps it was because he had the princes on his mind all night, but he refused to give in. He wouldn't fall in love, he wasn't going to give in – and especially not on the first day being on Derse.

In the morning, just like Dirk had promised, the older prince rapped on Jake's door and opened it when he didn't receive an immediate response.

"Yo, Jake, wake up." He said quietly. Jake groaned and covered his ears with his pillow. Dirk narrowed his eyes at him and approached him, poking his shoulder repeatedly until Jake pulled the blonde onto the sheets with him.

"Shut the fuck up and be my body pillow for a minute." Jake mumbled into Dirk's shirt. Dirk rolled his eyes but complied anyway. He ran his fingers through Jake's hair, which the tan boy unintentionally purred at. A few seconds later, Jake realized what was happening and kicked Dirk off the bed. The tall blonde prince huffed and kneeled by the side of the bed while he fixed his hair.

"Well aren't you just the kindest prince in the land." Dirk joked. Unamused, Jake reached for his glasses on the nightstand and pushed them on over his brilliant eyes.

"I'm not a morning person." Jake stretched his hands towards the ceiling and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Why are you here so early, anyway? It's still dark out."

"It's always dark here, Jake." Dirk stood up from the floor as he spoke. "Get up, I wanted to show you something."

"It better not be a picnic or something." Jake groaned.

"What? Who the hell do you think I am?"

"I don't know you yet." Jake whined and finally sat up from his comfortable position. It was warmer with Dirk lying next to him, but that didn't mean he liked it. "Do I have to get dressed?"

"Nah." Dirk lead him out the door, waiting for him in the dim hallway. Jake followed as he was told and they strolled through the castle corridors together.

"So if you're not trying to make me swoon over you, where are you taking me?" The tan prince with the British accent asked.

"Well, you seemed like you needed to relax. So that brings me to my question," he paused and opened up a set of purple doors, introducing him to a large, steamy room. "Do you have a personal spa on Prospit?"

"Yes, actually."

"What? Really?"

"No, I'm just kidding, geez." Jake laughed. "You sounded like I had just foiled your plans."

"Because you almost did." Dirk added, the smallest of grins cracking his normally boring expression.

All joking aside, Jake smiled at the room in front of him. There were servants there ready to cater to him, along with massage chairs, high stacks of hot towels, televisions on the walls that displayed the news and all sorts of Dersian lotions and foot creams.

"Well? What do you think?" Dirk leaned against the wall casually, even though Jake could see a sweat starting to form on his forehead.

"It's wonderful. I already feel relaxed… Will you be joining me, Mr. Strider?" Jake gave him a soft smile. Dirk shook his head quickly in response.

"No no, you've had enough of me; I want you to relax and have some alone time." The blonde insisted. Jake rolled his eyes.

"Come, now. I don't mind a _friend_ joining me. Besides, I need someone to talk to. I don't speak Dersian yet, even though these workers look very kind." Jake waved to them, earning smiles in response.

After a long sigh, Dirk complied. "Fine, then. If you insist, your highness." Dirk bowed but Jake paid this gesture no mind and walked into the spa. He stripped down in the changing rooms and wrapped a towel around his waist as instructed by the Dersian servants. Fortunately, they had a volunteer to translate what they were saying into Prospitian. Jake smiled, recognizing the grumpy expression of his friend immediately.

"Karkat! I didn't know you were staying here, too!" The brit wanted to hug him but decided it would be awkward, since he was only wearing a towel.

"I'm not staying here, numbskull. Your grandma sent me to check up on you for the day." He argued. Just then, Dirk walked in on their conversation, holding up his towel with one hand and wiping the water from his shades with the other.

"Sup." He greeted.

Karkat raised his eyebrow. "Is this the one you're marrying, Jake?"

"Nope. Dirk and I are just friends." Jake quickly corrected. "I'm refusing to marry either of them, for this game is ridiculous." He added.

"Her highness will be enraged." Karkat countered. "She will make you stay here until your wedding ceremony is over."

"Well I'll be here for a long time, then. I hope she'll miss me." Jake huffed and walked away, leaving Dirk and Karkat to watch him slip and fall. The Dersians quickly helped him up and walked him to his massage chair around the corner, and Dirk couldn't help but grin.

"So. Your name is Dirk?" Karkat said once Jake was out of sight. Dirk gave him a small nod in response. "I met your brother earlier. He seemed intent on finding you and prince sassy-buns over there." Dirk almost chuckled at Jake's nickname.

"Well, don't tell him where we are. He's just going to ruin everything-"

"Dave? Where are we going?" Jake's voice echoed from down the hall. It seemed as though he purposely made it loud enough for Dirk to hear.

"Shh, Dirk will hear you! It's a surprise, just come on!" Dave tugged Jake out of the changing room once he was back in his normal clothing. Jake ran a hand through his hair and followed the younger blonde, who had gotten a hold of the brit's hand. He could hear Dirk's footsteps running after them as they escaped out into the purple streets. It was surprisingly warm out, which was the exact opposite of what Jake had expected from the dark planet.

Dave smiled excitedly as he lead Jake to the back of the huge castle. In the empty space, there was a large, grassy field that sparkled under the light of the stars. "Watch this," Dave waved his hand over the grass, making millions of fireflies float up over the field. They twinkled in his jade green eyes.

"Wow, Dave, this is…" Jake glanced back at him in awe, only to be pulled away by Dirk again. Dirk held him close and Jake attempted to break away as the taller blonde shot his brother a stern glare. The brit couldn't help but notice how quickly he had changed out of his towel and back into his clothing...

"We were in the middle of something, Dave." He spat.

"What's wrong with pulling him away to see the garden?" Dave hissed back.

"You can't just do that."

"Yeah, well you can't just scoop him up in the early morning and take him to the spa."

"Who says? He's not your toy."

"Yeah, well he's not yours, either, and he never will be." By now, the brothers were staring and snarling at each other with anger, their eyes seemingly glowing beneath their shades.

"Why don't you ask him what he thinks, then? Since you're _so_ convinced that what you're doing is good for him." Dirk glanced down at his arms, but Jake wasn't there. He had slipped away during their discussion.

"Look what you did!" Dave blurted.

"What _I_ did?! You mean what _you_ did?! Do you even care about how he feels?!"

Dirk and Dave's discussions rang in Jake's ears as he headed towards the safety of his bedroom. Behind closed doors, Jake slid against the wall and curled up with his knees to his chest. He had remembered why he was here, and he seemed to be just realizing the true torture he would suffer through. He allowed tears to roll down his face until a familiar pup approached him and nuzzled his cheek with his wet nose. He looked up at his sister's dog, Bec, who was standing beside him and licking his tears dry with his strange, green tongue. Jake smiled and scratched behind Bec's white ears.

"Missed you, bud. I was wondering when you were gonna show up." Jake sniffled. He noticed a rolled up paper that Bec had dropped in front of him and picked it up. He neatly untied the green ribbon and opened up the paper so he could read it. There were little doodles in green pen on the sides of the letter that Jade had written.

 _"Dear Jakey,_

 _I miss you! I wish I could come see you like Karkat did, that lucky grumpy-pants… Anyway, how are you? How's Derse? Grandma says it's beautiful, but I wanna take your word for it! Oh yeah, speaking of Grandma – I got upset because of the way she treated you and kinda trashed her room… I got grounded, but Bec still visits me. He missed you too, by the way. Make sure you give him a big hug! And one more thing – how are the princes? Are they as charming as they say? Hopefully I'll get to visit one day and smack the king across the face for making you stay there._

 _Stay strong and don't give up hope – you'll be home before you know it!_

 _~ Jade_

 _P.S. Write back soon!"_

Jake dried his tears as best as possible as he read the letter. He glanced around his room and saw a quill and paper on his desk. He rose from his corner and retreated to his desk. Bec followed him and Jake gave him a hug before he began writing a letter back home.

 _"My Dearest Jade,_

 _I cannot believe you trashed Grandma's room!_ _(Even though she deserved it for sending me here)._ _You should apologize soon. We only have one grandma, after all. Anyway, things are… strange here, to say the least. The princes are okay, I'm not actually quite sure what to think of them yet. They seem to really like me - too much, even - but I'm pretty sure they were brainwashed into thinking that way by the king – or, one of them was, at least… Speaking of the king, please do not smack him. He has good intentions, and you will get in trouble with everyone if you do something to him._

 _I miss home a lot. And I mean A LOT. It's only morning (I think) and I am already tired and ready to jump out the window. Karkat being here has lifted my spirits a little, because he reminded me that I'm never too disconnected from home. Same goes for Bec – but I enjoy his company more than I do Karkat's._

 _Please be good, and take good care of Bec. Write back soon – I look forward to getting your next letter!_

 _Sincerely, your big brother,_

 _Jake English_ _"_


	4. Chores

_Chapter 4 – Chores_

There is only one way to describe how Jake feels - homesick _._ During the first week of his time on Derse, the only thing Jake could think about was how much he wanted to be curled up in his room alone or how he wished he could concentrate on his novel without Dirk or Dave trying to get and keep his attention.

The brit was annoyed by the often broadcasts that appeared on the news as he lounged in the spa. He would often see his face going along with questions (translated in English for royalty) that said "Which Brother Will Earn the Hand of the Prospitian Prince?" and "Playing Hard to Get?". Jake was getting sick of it. He was thoroughly convinced that he hated it here, until a certain blonde distracted him for a while.

Dirk knocked on Jake's bedroom door one misty Saturday morning – One week since his arrival on Derse. "Jake?" he called "Are you awake? I don't mean to bother you."

"I am awake but I would prefer not to be." Jake hissed stubbornly. Dirk sighed and entered his bedroom anyway.

"Look, I've got some chores for you to do, and I think you'll like them."

" _Chores?_ " Jake stared at him like he had three eyes.

"Yes, chores. You know, like work around the house? Child labor?" Dirk insisted. "Look, my brother and my dad and I have to go to some stupid interview for ending the civil war, and we don't want to drag you there because you hate us enough already-"

"I don't hate you." Jake countered with a frown. "I just hate being away from home, especially when I'm trapped in a place full of people who like me because someone said they had to." He glared at him and frowned deeper. Dirk paused quickly before he continued again.

"In any case, you're not coming with us, and the workers have the day off, so you have the castle to yourself to do whatever you want for a while. No Strider brothers, no king, no questions – just peace and quiet, what you wanted. I suggest you try cooking the chicken parm, it's a lot of fun. Oh- and if you even think about trashing the castle, my dad will keep you here for the next three years… His words, not mine." Dirk handed him a piece of paper and walked out.

"Hey, wait!" Jake chimed in quickly. Dirk paused at the open doorway, turning his head ever-so-slightly. "Thank you, really… I didn't think you cared that much about me, in all honesty."

"Well, if I didn't care about you, we wouldn't be friends." Dirk replied. He flashed Jake another small smile before leaving the room.

This was the most fun Jake had had in a week.

He slid around the castle's high-roofed ballroom in his fancy, (and not to mention slippery), yellow socks. He almost crashed into a vase and a tall plant, but he swerved around it and continued gliding on the wooden floor of the empty ballroom.

The castle was truly empty. Not a soul for what seemed like miles and miles. He almost considered shooting the television with his emergency pistols when the news showed his face on the screen _again_. He stopped his sliding to watch it when it mentioned the interview.

"Today, we have our noble king and Princes Dirk and Dave to discuss the topic we've all been talking about – the handsome prince Jake English." Jake read the subtitles aloud to himself, not so much as cracking a smile when he was called handsome. "Stay tuned, we'll be with them after these messages." Jake scoffed and watched the commercials turn on before he slid away from the television once more.

"'Handsome Prince'? Yeah, right." He laughed at himself. He looked down at the piece of paper that Dirk had given him as he walked out the large doors to the ballroom. On the paper was a list of chores, and on the back was a recipe for chicken parmesan. It was all written in orange pen and stood out against the white background of the paper. "Damn, Dirk has some messy handwriting. Might even be worse than Dave's." He let out another chuckle once again and headed for the supply closet.

Jake always considered himself a "solo act". Whatever he did, he wanted to do alone. He felt more comfortable doing things this way. He preferred not to have others looking over his shoulder all the time and judging him for every action he made or word he said. It had been this way since he was little. When he used to go on adventures in his backyard, his grandmother would watch from the back porch, and he'd tell her to leave him to explore in peace. She usually watched him from the window anyway, just to keep an eye on him. When Jade came along, Jake had to get used to sharing. He shared his toys, his books, his pencils and even his room. Though the prince got so used to sharing, Jake never liked it.

This was why he was so rebellious and claimed that he didn't need anyone else. No one else could possibly make Jake happier than he was when he was alone. If he ever got into a relationship, he would most likely freak out and break up with them, partially because of his secret fear of hurting his loved ones. He just wouldn't be comfortable with all the pressure weighing on his neck. All that pressure to keep his lover happy, to see them enough, to acknowledge them just enough but not too much… he couldn't keep up with it. Was that so hard to understand?

Jake pondered on this as he finished vacuuming the main hallway. The entire castle was clean as a whistle when he was done, and he was surprised to see that it had only been an hour since the king and his sons had left for the interview. Bored with his thoughts, Jake threw out the subject of appreciating his loneliness and headed for the kitchen.

The kitchen was almost as wide as the ballroom, but the ceiling wasn't nearly as high. There was a line of stoves against the wall on one side of the room, and opposite that was a line of sinks, refrigerators and cabinets. Jake had never been allowed in the kitchen – "For workers only," his grandmother would say – and only used a stove located in his study to make eggs and bacon for his sister on certain occasions.

The brit admired the glorious sight of the kitchen before he got down to business. He gathered up the ingredients and started cooking in the blissful silence that stained the castle's corridors.


	5. Spinning in Circles

_Chapter 5 – Spinning in Circles_

When Dirk, Dave and the king returned home, the castle smelt of sizzling pasta sauce and garlic bread. Dirk smiled, hearing Jake humming from the kitchen. He abandoned his family to listen in. He immediately identified the song, and soon he was humming along. He knew he had been caught when Jake stopped singing.

"O-Oh! Home already?" The brit ignored the fact that he had been singing and approached the taller prince. Dave's jaw dropped and Dirk snickered with victory.

"'Home'?" Dirk raised an eyebrow.

"I meant back."

"That's not what you said."

"Golly, I can't stand you." Jake rolled his eyes and attended his cooking, making Dave grin once more.

"What are you making, your highness?" The smaller prince asked. He approached Jake by the stove and the king meekly watched from the kitchen doorway.

"This recipe for chicken parmesan Dirk gave me. I changed up a few things, though… Tell me what you think!" Smiling, Jake handed him a spoon. Dave dipped it in the sauce and beamed when he tasted it.

"This is awesome!" He squeaked. Jake laughed bubbly, and Dirk scowled at his brother. He was jealous that he did not receive the laugh from the Prospitian prince.

"Sit down and have some! You must be famished from your interview." Jake offered sweetly.

"Indeed, I am tired of coffee and tea." The king smiled with his gleaming grin. Jake nodded and prepared plates for everyone. He joined them at the dining room table as they discussed the interview.

"It was fine," Dirk started as he sat down next to Jake, "I was sure we'd see Prospitians there, but there weren't any around."

Dave perched himself on Jake's other side and chimed in, "I wish we'd seen some. I was wondering if all Prospitians look as good as you do." His father copied his sparkling smile, seemingly pleased. Jake attempted to shake his blush and laughed some more. Dirk's eyes burned with anger.

"Well, I'd say they're pretty handsome. They are all so kind and timid." Jake took a bite of his garlic bread and smiled at Dirk. The taller prince's eyes softened, and Dirk realized he had to do something soon. He didn't want to marry Jake, but he couldn't let his brother have all the fun. Maybe he's steal a kiss or a hug, just to spite his brother… He wasn't sure, however, if it was only to spite Dave. Recently, he'd actually be longing for Jake's affection. The way he smiled and laughed was so soft and lovely, and Dirk could only imagine what his kisses felt like. Maybe… Just maybe… No, he mustn't. He didn't want to get caught up in his feelings – he didn't want to give in. If he gave in, he would ultimately lose Jake's trust, and he knew this.

Still, he couldn't help but think…

When their meal ended, Dirk and Jake wandered the corridors. Dave wanted to come too, but he said he had things to attend to. Skeptical of this, Dirk figured he's get the truth out of him later. As they walked, Dirk looked down, noticing Jake's socked feet. He laughed and Jake turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Why are you just in your socks?" Dirk coughed, trying to stop his uncool laughter. Jake seemed amused, though – he was letting out small, amused giggles.

"Your laugh is so nice." Jake smiled and avoided the question.

"Thanks, but don't get used to it." Dirk coughed, blinking at him. Jake huffed and opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by the blonde again. "Thanks for dinner. It was really good. I'll give you some more recipes, if you like."

"Sure, I'd love that, but I don't think I'll cook while you guys are here." Jake looked out the window, and his eyes sparkled in the light of the stars.

"What? Why not?" Dirk huffed, secretly smiling a little.

"Because you'll probably watch me dance around like a monkey, and that's no good." The brit laughed.  
"Oh, so you don't like dancing in front of people, huh? That's a shame, because there's gonna be a ball later this week, and-"

"A BALL?! Here?!" Jake gasped, swinging his eyes back to the slightly-taller figure.

"Yeah?"

"Like, with people?!"

"No, Jake, we'll be dancing with silverware."

"This is no time for your confounded Strider irony! I can't dance in front of all those people!"

"Why not? I'm sure you're a great dancer." Dirk chewed on his cheek and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Well… I dunno, I haven't really…" He could tell that Jake was avoiding looking into his shades.

"Tell ya what, your highness – I'll teach you how to dance."

"W-What?!" Jake seemed a bit taken by this, and Dirk noticed him blushing.

"Relax. It's just dance classes. We're friends, so there's not gonna be any more contact than there needs to be." Dirk reassured him. Jake didn't say anything, but Dirk assumed it had eased his nerves because his blush was starting to fade. Dirk stopped by the ballroom and opened up the doors.

Jake paused. "What, now?"

"Yeah, when else? You've got nothing else to do but mope around in your room." He lead Jake into the ballroom and Jake put on his shoes, which had been stashed in the corner and abandoned when he left to clean the castle.

"I'll have you know," the brit huffed "that I have plenty to do except for 'moping around', Mr. Strider."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes! I write letters home, I read, Bec visits me…"

"'Bec'?"

"My sister's magic dog."

"Haha what the hell." Dirk rolled his eyes, straightening his vest. He bowed and reached for Jake to join him. "Well, right now we're dancing. So, start with a bow." He instructed. Jake nodded and copied his actions. He stepped nervously closer to Dirk and the blonde twined their fingers together in the air. Jake let out a small noise as Dirk put a hand on his waist.

"Relax, Jake… You're all tense." Dirk frowned slightly. Jake stayed quiet and put his free hand on Dirk's shoulder. It took a while for Jake to get used to it, but soon they were stepping in unison with one another.

"What were you talking about? You're a great dancer!" The blonde laughed slightly, making Jake's smile return.

They danced for what seemed like forever, and Jake barely realized that he was searching for Dirk's eyes beneath his shades as they twirled around.

"Hey, Dirk?"

"Hm?"

"What color are your eyes?" Jake tilted his head slightly and they suddenly stopped dancing. Jake was so dizzy that he almost fell over, but Dirk caught him by his hand just in time. Jake pulled himself up and gazed at him.

"Well, er…" He hesitated and scratched the back of his neck.

"Can I see them?" Jake reached for the pointed sunglasses, but Dirk quickly smacked his hand away and took a large step backwards. Jake soon became self-conscience and pulled his hands behind him. "Sorry.."

"It's fine. I just don't like people knowing about my eyes." Dirk shrugged, keeping his distance just in case.

"Well I won't ask, in that case. Can you just tell me what color they are?"

Dirk grinned. "Orange."

"Orange?! Gadzooks! I've never heard that one before!" Jake beamed excitedly.

"I didn't think so." Dirk let out another chuckle and lead Jake out of the ballroom.

"Golly, I really wanna ask about them now. Look at what you've done!" They both laughed and barely payed attention to where they were going. After a few moments of pointless talking, Jake cleared his throat and looked at the carpet below his feet.

"Dirk…?" Jake kept his eyes off of the other. "Do you think that, when this whole mess blows over, we can… Still be friends? I've never had anything like this before." He said shyly, glancing at him for less than a second. Dirk raised his eyebrow.

"Why would we stop being friends? C'mon, Jake, that was kind of a stupid question."

Jake laughed. "Just making sure, Mr. Strider."

"That's _Prince_ Strider to you, English."

"Never in a million years." They chased each other down the hall, unaware that Dave was watching from the shadows.

A devious lightbulb illuminated his thoughts and he smiled as he sunk back into his bedroom.


	6. Cursed

_Chapter 6- Cursed_

"Ugh, does it have to be so tight?" Jake complained. Sollux sighed and loosened his purple belt a little. "Much better. I don't want to walk around like a statue all night…"

It was time for the ball, and Jake had been practicing all week. Dave had requested to dance with him, and Jake said that he would if Dirk ever let him. He wanted to be dancing with the older prince all night – for he was the one Jake enjoyed talking to. Not that he didn't like talking to Dave, but Dirk was more… casual. It helped him relax.

"We all set, Sollux? Thank you for helping me." The brit smiled.

"No problem, Prince Jake. I'll let you know when the guethth will be arriving." Sollux strut out the bedroom door and closed it behind him with a small wave from Jake. The Prospitian Prince admired himself in the mirror – gelled hair, golden suit, purple shoes… He looked like the mascot of the end of the civil war.

Oh, wait, that's what he was.

Huffing slightly, Jake fixed his cufflinks in the tall mirror and played with the loose triangular flaps that hung from his jacket. It was quite fashionable, he must admit, and it would look even better once he put on his violet tie and golden hat. Jake bowed to himself in the mirror and smiled to cover up his nerves.

Once he was brought to the ballroom, he was all dressed up. He wanted to bring a staff as well, but he thought it would make him look silly. Besides, he didn't have a staff at the moment. Throwing out these thoughts, Jake watched the Dersian people from the balcony. The ballroom was a lots smaller from up there - you could see everything.

"Nice hat." Dirk snuck up behind Jake. He was wearing the same thing, except the colors on his suit were reversed. Jake inhaled sharply and bit his tongue.

"W-Way to sneak up on me." He stuck his injured tongue out at the other. Dirk rolled his eyes from behind his shades and ran his hand through his hair. Jake watched the Strider family join them on the balcony, and he smiled and waved at Dave as he shot him a smile and a wink.

"I don't think you should dance with my brother, Jake." Dirk whispered in Jake's ear.

"Why not?" The brit gave him a small frown, barely whispering.

"Well, um… because he might-"

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome!" The king bellowed, interrupting their discussion. "Thank you for coming tonight! We have a very special guest with us – Jake English from the planet Prospit!" Jake was pulled to the front of the balcony next to the king and Dirk watched helplessly. The crowd cheered for the brit and he waved shyly back at them. "Please, enjoy yourselves! Have some punch, appetizers and oeuvres!" And with that, the crowd erupted with applause and everyone resumed normal activity.

The king insisted that Jake go down and mingle with the Dersians – "They'll be your citizens soon, too," he had said. So, that's reluctantly what Jake did. He descended the winding staircase and listened for the pitter-patter of Dirk's footsteps behind him, but they never came. When Jake glanced at the balcony, he saw the king having a discussion with his sons.

Sighing, Jake waved as he walked by the dancing Dersians here and there. He was even pulled into one dance, and he saw Dirk laughing at him when he glanced up at the balcony again. Jake rolled his eyes at this and continued dancing anyway.

Dave came down to dance with Jake as the ball was starting to come to a close. They spun around slowly in circles, and Jake was wondering why Dirk hadn't intervened yet.

"It's been really nice having you here. My dad seems very pleased with your presence." Dave commented, snickering. Jake nodded and watched his feet to make sure he didn't mess up. When he looked back up, Dave had his shades on his forehead.

"Oh wow! Your eyes are marvelous." Jake cooed, staring into their ruby-red hue. Suddenly, he was lost in Dave's eyes, and he didn't have much control over what he was saying or doing anymore. When they wandered off the dance floor, Jake took Dave's hand and squeezed it with a smile.

"Love you, Davey." The words spilled from Jake's mouth before he could stop them. Dave smiled, and Jake screamed in his head, knowing no one could hear him. What was going on? Was this witchcraft?!

Suddenly, they were on the balcony, and Dave yelled something over the crowd that Jake could no longer hear. He gasped when Dave knelt in front of him and found himself saying a loud and perky "Yes!". The clapping and cheering of the crowd below was muffled in Jake's ears. He watched as Dirk stared at them in horror and helplessly tried to reach out for him. He managed to squeak a small "No" before he was pulled off to Dave's bedroom.

Dirk feared this would happen.

Dave had gotten so caught up in the thought of marrying Jake that he had used his eyes against the poor prince. Dirk could see the red gleam in Jake's eyes just as he was pulled out of the ballroom. Dirk snuck after them, putting his ear to Dave's doorway.

"Finally, some alone time, huh, Jake?" Dave's voice made Dirk want to punch something. He peeked through the door crack and watched Dave slip a shiny, diamond ring on Jake's finger. "It won't last long… Your 'friend' has been suspicious of me, I assume."

Dirk could see the red gleam in Jake's eyes as he fawned over Dave. Dirk stepped in as quietly as a ninja, though he caught the attention of both of them.

"Dave, what the fuck." Dirk hissed. "That's no fair, you can't go possessing him like that. He has to make the decision himself."

"Shut up, Dirk. It's totally fair, because I knew you were gonna win if I let him go." Dave rebelled.

"I was not going to – THIS IS A GAME, DAVE! You're being played for the amusement of our father!" Just as the words slipped from Dirk's lips, their father entered, his smile gleaming beneath his hood.

"Congratulations, Dave! I didn't think you would crack him so easily!" The king laughed.

"Well… You could say it was like magic." Dave winked. The king beamed back and Dirk raised an eyebrow at his father.

"You knew?!" He hissed.

"I put him up to the task." Their father replied.

"Wh- WHY?!"

"It's not a simple story, Dirk, so I'll explain it this way – I want control over Prospit. With Prince Jake English on our side, the Prospitian people will trust us. Once I kill the stupid queen and frame her death, we'll rule over both planets _our way_." He laughed. "Not to mention, Dave will have a handsome house-wife."

Dirk couldn't believe his ears. His own family was scrambling the rules of the game right beneath his nose and he barely realized it. "How dare you! Can we not be reasonable about this?! Poor Jake has been played!"

"You both have, Dirk… But don't worry about your sweetheart, you can have him once _I_ have control of Prospit." Dave smirked, and Dirk shot a nervous glance at Jake.

"Once _I_ put you in charge of Prospit." The king corrected. "But for right now… everyone should get some sleep. The wedding is tomorrow, after all."

"Wedding?! Tomorrow!?" Dirk growled, his eyes shifting from his father to his brother.

"Yes… Perhaps you should get a good night's sleep, too, Dirk. Otherwise you'll miss the ceremony." Dave grinned and pulled his shades up to stare into Dirk's shades. Dirk shot his own glare back and tried to fight back, but he was knocked out before he could win.

In the blink of an eye, everything had fallen apart.


	7. Honeymoon

_Chapter 7- Honeymoon_

Dirk grumbled awake and reached to rub his eyes, but he couldn't move his arms. Or his legs. Or anything else on his body. He tried to yell, but there was a cloth over his mouth. He noticed that his arms and legs were all tied to the bed he was laying on.

Above him, a television was bolted to the ceiling, displaying a live feed of the nearby church. He watched the Dersian people enter in a midst of flowers and camera flashes, trying to get a good seat for Dave and Jake's wedding… Dirk's eyes widened and he struggled to escape the trap he was stuck in. He growled at the vision of his father standing with his brother by the alter.

Dirk screamed again but nothing came out. He saw Jake in the video, walking excitedly down the isle in a white suit with a purple and yellow tie. He looked so handsome… Dirk heard the chains creak as the ceremony began.

"We are gathered here today…" Began the priest, making the church go silent.

 _CREAK! SNAP! CLANG!_

"In the joining of Prince Dave Strider and Prince Jake English…"

 _CLANG! BOOM!_ Dirk managed to break his arm free, and he reached to unlatch his other arm from the rusty, uncomfortable nails.

"Jake English, do you promise to love and care for Dave, in sickness and in health?"

"I do!" Jake's excited tone made Dirk's heart sink, but he tried to convince himself it wasn't real. He unlatched his other arm and hurried to get the cloth out of his mouth and unlatch his feet.

"And do you, Dave Strider…"

Dirk didn't have time to listen to the rest. Once he got his foot unlatched, he ran out the door and eventually out of the castle.

"For the conjoining of our two kingdoms…"

He sprinted to the church and burst through the doors, out of breath.

"I now pronounce you-"

"I OBJECT!" Dirk screamed with the last bit of air he had. The whole church erupted with chatter and surprised gasps.

"DIRK!" Jake yelled. The taller blonde's scream was enough to break Jake from his trance, if only for a second. Dave growled as his brother stood to confront him.

"Dave, think about what you're doing!" Dirk huffed as he regained his breath. "Dad played you, too, and he's manipulating your entire life!" Their father stood up in the front and shot Dirk a hard glare.

"Dirk, sit down and be respectful. The ceremony is almost over!" His father hissed. Dirk ignored him.

"Please, Dave, this isn't right and you know it!"

Dave looked down, seemingly ashamed in what he had done. He slipped his shades back on, and Jake ran forward to hug Dirk. The older prince hugged him back tightly, listening to Jake's scared breaths with care.

"Shh, it's okay, Jake…" He whispered. "I've got you…"

* * *

The faces of the royal family were all over the news that next week, but Dirk and Jake barely noticed. They spent their time in Jake's room watching movies since Jake wasn't comfortable being around Dave or the king anymore. Jake hadn't heard anything about Prospit, nor was he aware of the king's plans. Dirk wasn't sure if this was a good or a bad thing.

"Oh, be quiet, Strider." Jake laughed, wrapped up with Dirk in a fuzzy blanket as they watched a movie.

"What? I'm not kidding! This movie is boring as hell." Dirk replied, chuckling along quietly.

With Dirk, Jake felt better about being trapped on Derse. At least he had a friend to suffer with him.

Meanwhile, Dave and his father sat in the king's study. Dave held his head down in shame, playing with his hands.

"Despite your setback," Dave's father growled. "I will still rule over Prospit in due time. I'm sending a trained assassin to kill the Prospitian queen tomorrow evening, and I will frame it on her own grandson." Dave looked up at his father for only a second before he glanced back down at his feet. He knew he couldn't stop him from doing what he wanted. "Go tell the servants to prepare dinner. It's getting late." He ordered.

Dave left the dark study and raced down the hallway to Jake's room. On the way, he bumped into Karkat, who was visiting from Prospit.

"There you are, Prince Dave!" He hissed. Dave blinked and nervously tried to back away. "I was wondering what the meaning of _this_ is." The small male held up a Dersian newspaper, which read "Royal Wedding Crashed – The Feud of The Strider Brothers Continues For Jake's Hand".

"Oh, uh, hi to you too…" Dave trailed off. "Karkat, right? That's cute."

"Don't start, Strider, just answer the question."

"How about I answer it over dinner?" Dave swallowed, desperately trying to sneak part him to talk to his brother.

"Wh-" Karkat peered at him suspiciously. "Are you asking me to stay for dinner?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't you stay? Prospit is a long way from here."

"Well, in that case… Sure. But I'm expecting an explanation." He slipped down the hallway and Dave sprinted away once he was out of sight. He knocked on Jake's door, hearing the cheesy music of movies from inside.

"Dirk? Jake? Are you in there?"

Silence.

"Look, I'm done playing the game, okay? I'm not gonna possess anyone, I promise." Dave frowned. The door clicked open a few seconds later and Dirk joined his brother in the hallway.

"What is it." His expression was stone cold, and Dave could feel his glare through his shades.

"Is Jake in there?"

"Yes, but he doesn't want to talk to you."

"But I won't-"

"This is not up for discussion. What do you want?"

Dave huffed and refrained himself from punching his brother. "It's about the queen. Dad's still planning to assassinate her and take over Prospit."

"Woah, really? Man, he is relentless." The door opened once more, and Jake stepped out of his room to join the conversation.

"What about the queen?" He squeaked tiredly.

"She's in danger." Dave said quickly before Dirk could interrupt. Jake's eyes went soft before he scowled. Dave told them what he had heard, and Jake seemed to be on the edge of tears once he finished. He opened his mouth slowly and took in a shaky breath.

"Let's go to Prospit."


	8. Home

_Chapter 8 - Home_

Sneaking to Prospit was easier then Dirk thought it would be. His dad didn't bother to come from the study to have dinner with them, and Karkat didn't ask a lot of questions about sending Jake home, so they slipped out easily. Dirk and Jake both noticed that Dave and Karkat were awfully close and talked a lot during their meal. Jake thought it was cute, but Dirk felt indifferent towards the thought. Anyway, the three took one of the royal limos to the golden planet. Dirk and Dave were astounded about how much light there was, but Jake was a complete mess. He kept saying things like "What if we're too late?" and muttering "Oh God, is Jade okay?!" Dirk tried to comfort him by rubbing circles on his back and reassuring him that they were fine.

When they got there, Jade greeted them at the door, like she'd been waiting there the entire time. She hugged Jake tightly and they both allowed tears to roll down their cheeks.

"Has it been a month already?" She squeaked.

"No, actually… three weeks..." Jake chuckled back with a sniffle. Jade looked up at the princes with wide eyes. She bashfully hid behind her brother and Dirk gave her a soft smile. He knelt down and shook her hand, making her grin and blush. Jake smiled and gave Jade's head a pat as they headed inside.

"Where's Grandma, Jade?" Jake asked, looking back and forth down the golden hallways. He had missed them so.

"In her room… Why?" She perked an eyebrow.

"Well-" Dave began, but Jake stopped him.

"We just want to talk to her. Now, it's getting late, and the sun will be gone soon. Go to bed." Jake whispered. She pouted and he kissed her head before she skipped off to her room.

"She seems nice." Dirk commented once she had turned the corner.

"Always happy, that one. It's so good to see her again." Jake beamed. Dave rubbed his arms nervously and Dirk grinned along. "Now c'mon, we don't have much time. You never know what that crazy king will do-…" He chewed on his lip. "Er, sorry..."

"It's fine, Jake, just lead the way." Dirk encouraged. The three ran down the corridors to the grand bedroom, where his grandmother was. There was a scream from inside and Jake panicked, pushing the doors open in time to see his grandmother fall to the floor. He quickly kneeled by her side and watched her face go pale.

"Grandma!" He squeaked. "Oh my God… G-Grandma, what happened?! Are you okay?!" His grandmother looked up at him with glowing, green eyes. They were paler then Jake's, a strike of purple gleaming in them. Jake gasped and threw a hand over his mouth.

"Take care of our kingdoms, Jake… Our freedom is in your hands now." She smiled weakly and put her hand in her grandson's. She closed her eyes and limped to the floor, losing the little energy she had.

They all sat in silence, hearing chatter from the Prospitians below who were wondering where the scream came from. Jake's eyes rested over his grandmother, and he slowly pulled her up in his arms. He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out were sobs of despair. Dirk quickly jumped to comfort him, but Dave held him back. So the Strider brothers watched helplessly as Jake sobbed on his grandmother's corpse.

"D-Don't tell Jade…" He whimpered, sniffling. Dirk finally pushed away his brother's arm and went to comfort Jake anyway. He wrapped his arms around him, and the other nuzzled into his warmth, sobbing into his shirt. Dirk played with his hair and stayed quiet.

Soon, Jake pushed Dirk away and stood up, wiping his nose with his sleeve. He was angry – both Dirk and Dave could tell.

"Did you see the… the purple glare in her eyes?" Jake croaked. Dirk and Dave blinked at each other with wide eyes, and a voice emitted from the corner of the dark room.

"Poor Granny…" The king snickered, stepping into view. He pulled his hood down, revealing ugly clown make up and a head full of bushy hair.

"You're not our father!" Dave hissed.

"Your father has been dead for months, Dave, and I killed him." The clown snickered. Dirk and Dave froze in their shoes, the glow of their angry eyes burning through their shades. "You see, ever since this whole war started, I wanted to end it. And I wanted to end it under my dictatorship. The war killed my sons, leaving me with nothing, so I suddenly craved everything. Power, fame, alliance…" The clown's eyes shot a purple gleam at Jake, making him hold his hands over his ears and fall to the floor once again. "You three and that little girl are the only ones standing in my way."

Dirk quickly ran to help Jake, wiping away his tears with his thumbs. "J-Jake, what's wrong?"

"He's going insane, you idiot. Soon, he'll drown in his own madness. I can't wait to watch him jump off the balcony." The clown laughed. Dirk bit his lip and felt his burning eyes start to tear up.

"D-Dirk…" Jake whimpered through sobs. "I n-never got to- to tell…" He went into shock again, his eyes squeezing shut and pooling with glistening, overused tears.

"Ahahahaha! I love a happy ending." The clown man laughed again. "I would have done the same to you two, if it wasn't for your own power blocking me from succeeding. I'll just have to kill you with my hands." He cracked his knuckles, making Dave wince slightly. "You boys will rue the day you messed with the Grand Highblood."


	9. Poison

_Chapter 9 - Poison_

Ghosts of the past were swimming in Jake's mind, fogging up his vision. He started to see things – his mother, his father, his grandmother… They all beckoned him towards the balcony, flying over the railing. Jake longed to go after them, and he struggled to escape Dirk's grasp.

"Jake, they're not real!" Dirk said, his voice making Jake turn to look at him with wide eyes. The brit's vision was starting to clear and he could see a little better through his tears, but the Grand Highblood sent him back into shock immediately, and he started seeing things again.

Dirk snarled and held onto Jake tightly, picking him up and running after Dave, who was already starting to flee.

"What do we do?! He's bound to come after us!" Dave said, obviously scared out of his mind. It was too much – they needed a break.

"I-I don't know this castle like Jake does… I'm gonna try breaking Jake from whatever horrible trance he's in, you try to stall, okay? He won't hurt you." Dirk encouraged, handing Dave a knife as they entered the large kitchen, empty of workers. Dave nodded bravely and gulped as he began running back, hiding the kitchen knife as his voice echoed through the corridors.

"Jake, Dirk! Wait up!" He yelled. Dirk took a deep breath and tried to hush Jake's sobs. He sat in the corner and kept the other latched tightly in his arms.

"D-Dirk, I can see them…" He whispered frantically. "I have to go with them, Dirk, I have to!"

"Shh, snap out of it, Jake!" The older blonde whispered. "They're not real, but I am, and you need to listen to me. Wake up, he's poisoned you, you have to fight back."

His nose twitched at a sound, one which Dirk had not heard. "Jade?!" Jake panicked and tried to squirm from Dirk's arms with tears pouring from his eyes again.

"Jake, no, stay with me!" Dirk pulled his shades off, revealing his glowing, orange eyes. Jake stared into them, and the purple gleam began to fade away only slightly. Dirk kept his arms around Jake's waist and kissed him before he knew what he was doing.

Being flashed from his trance, Jake gasped at the kiss from Dirk. Jake kissed him back weakly as more tears poured down his cheeks. Dirk wanted to kiss him more, but he pulled back, taking short, heavy breaths. Jake was about to respond but there was a crash from the kitchen doorway. Dirk quickly slipped his sunglasses over Jake's eyes and pushed him aside.

"Relax, okay? And stay there." Dirk hissed. Jake stayed still, his eyes getting used to the darkness of the sunglasses as he watched helplessly, hidden in the shadows.

Dirk stood before the Grand Highblood, who smiled when he saw the blonde. "There you are!" His voice echoed. "Where're the other princes? I want them to watch you die." Dirk's breath hitched and held out his hand. It glowed orange, and a katana appeared in it, pointing towards the clown.

"Prepared to fight me, huh?" The Grand Highblood challenged. "Well, let's go, then! You brats deserve to be smacked around." Dave ran in to the kitchen doorway behind him just as Dirk lunged at the clown.

It was a mess of attacks. The clown dodged at almost every swing from Dirk's katana, and he tried to send poisoned daggers at him when he wasn't aware. Dirk hopped over and ducked under them with unbalance, trying not to lose his cool. He pounced at the Grand Highblood again and again, missing each time.

"It's a shame, really." The clown spoke as he dodged, which made Dirk even angrier. The blonde tumbled to the side as more daggers were flung at him. He jumped off of one, using it to lunge at his head. Once again, the Grand Highblood dodged, his body floating swiftly under his robe. Dirk did a summer-sault as he landed and was soon on his feet again. "You're a good fighter, and you and Jake would have made a nice couple."

"Stop. Talking. And take it. Like a man." Dirk huffed, trying to swing at him again but failing. A dagger skimmed the side of his head, slashing his skin. He felt another dagger trace across him and sent a shock of excruciating pain through his body. Dirk didn't scream, however, and tried to dodge another dagger as it flung towards him.

"I'm more of a man than you'll ever be, Dirk. Besides, if I got any cuts, they'd have evidence against me in court. We can't have that." The Grand Highblood swept at Dirk's feet and knocked him on his back painfully. Dirk's katana dropped out of his hands and slid away from him, just out of reach. The Grand Highblood stepped on his chest, probably breaking a rib or two.

"It was nice knowing you, Dirk. Go join your father in hell." He pulled a dagger from his coat and held it up, and Dirk prepared for death, even though he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to leave yet. He wasn't ready to give up hope. He wasn't ready to let Derse go, or to say goodbye to Dave... Most of all, he wasn't ready to let Jake go.

And soon he was free. It happened so fast Dirk barely realized what was going on. He sat up, watching Jake kick the Grand Highblood off of him.

"Get the fuck off of my boyfriend before I slaughter you with your own dagger and drown you in your own filthy blood!" Jake shouted, his eyes welling with tears. He lunged at the Grand Highblood again and again, firing his pistols into him as he stumbled backwards. The huge clown fell to the floor, holes in his chest. Jake stepped on him with fury burning in his emerald eyes.

"You'll rue the day you ever messed with Jake English." He spat, shooting him in the forehead again. He watched the clown's purple eyes roll to the back of his head with satisfaction, and Dave's eyes grew wide, along with Dirk's. Those pistols had come out of nowhere...

Jake took some deep breaths and stepped away from the puddle of blood that pooled around the clown's dead body. He shakily looked back at Dirk and Dave, dropping his guns as he ran to kneel besides Dirk. He picked his head up in his hands and rested it in his lap.

"'Boyfriend', huh?" Dirk chuckled with a harsh cough. Jake hushed him and put Dirk's shades back over his eyes. Dave joined them soon, and Jake noticed he was crying. Jade ran in as well, feinting at the sight of the bloody body. Dave hurried to tend to her and Jake thanked him with a nod.

"Well…" Jake whispered, blushing and ignoring Dirk's comment. "That was… F-Fun… I haven't used my guns in forever…"

"Really? You seem pretty handy with them…" The older blonde coughed again. "And the way you kicked him off of me… I owe my life to you, English…"

"You would've done the same for me." Jake kissed his forehead shakily, making Dirk's cheeks heat up. He attempted to sit up, holding one of his injured arms.

"Did you kiss me? Or is the poison getting to my head?" Dirk snickered, still smiling. Jake grinned back bashfully and rose to his feet.

"Stay here, I'll get you some washcloths and pain killers…" And he left the room weakly. Dave moved the hair from his brother's face, trying to wipe the blood off of his cheeks with his thumb. Dirk smiled and pat his head as Jake returned with medical supplies.

Dave backed off and waited for Jade to wake up as Jake tended to Dirk. The brit wiped his cuts with a wet washcloth and gave him a pill, which he swallowed dryly.

"Thanks, Jake…" He faced the other as he cleaned up his cheek.

"Dirk." Jake said once he was finished, staring into his shades with a gentle smile. "Remember how I said that this whole deal was a load of crap, and that I wasn't going to fall in love?"

"Yeah..?"

"Well - I lied." Jake giggled and pulled Dirk's face closer so he could kiss him. Dirk quickly returned the gentle smooch, latching onto his waist again as Jake put his hands on Dirk's shoulders. Dave scoffed from behind them, but they didn't care. The trauma was over in that moment, and all the two of them had to focus on was how long they'd been waiting for this insane game to come to an end.


	10. Nightmares

_Chapter 10 - Nightmares_

"Dirk?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think they're outside the castle again?"

"Even if they are, we can't worry about it."

"But… I have to go confront them sometime…"

"No, you don't, Jake. You can stay with me forever."

"If only it were that simple, my love."

Ever since the death of the king and the queen, controversy has broken out all over both Prospit and Derse. There were millions of questions to be answered. "Who killed them? How did they die? What are the princes going to do? Is the war over?" and most frequently of all, " _What now?_ " That question was on Jake's mind, too. He and Dirk had been hibernating in Jake's room and received frequent visits from Dave and Jade. Jake would hold his sister in his lap and tell her it was going to be okay while Dave would try to cover up the fact that he was crying on the inside all the time.

On the good side of things, Dirk's wounds were getting better, and the poison is starting to fade away. The poison from the daggers caused Dirk to sometimes have visions of horrible things that didn't happen – like Jake or Dave dying in a terrible accident that he had to witness and couldn't do anything about. Dirk used to wake up with nightmares and crawl into Jake's room to snuggle with him. The visions and nightmares would often send him into a state of uncontrollable sobbing, and Jake seemed to be the only one who was able to calm him down.

Dirk's visions and nightmares have died down since he started taking a painkiller every day and had a shot done by the Prospitian Doctors to get the poison out of his blood stream. The blonde was still sleeping in Jake's room, but Jake didn't mind. They were together, after all. "Couple of the Century", Prospitian headlines read the day they announced it.

While Dirk, Jake, Dave and Jade were all recovering, the Royal Councils were reassembled to take control. If there was ever a problem, the Prospitian and Dersian Royal Councils would take care of it.

Aside from that, not much had changed except for the fact that Dave and Karkat spent a lot of time together. They roamed the gardens, ate meals together, watched movies, played games… Basically anything you could imagine. Jake was convinced that they were secretly dating, but Dirk was in denial.

One fateful day, the royal guard bust down the door to Jake's room early morning. Sollux was behind them, helplessly watching with his twin in purple standing next to him. Both Dirk and Jake sat up quickly, and Jake fixed his shirt in an attempt to look like a prince again. He was about to speak when the royal guard started.

"I apologize, your highness, but… You need to come with us…" One said nervously. The other took Jake by the arm and "helped" him out of bed. Dirk panicked and stood up with them, grabbing Jake's hand and pulling him back to him.

"He's not going anywhere." He rebelled as Jake tried to encourage him that everything would be okay. Dirk was so overprotective – and Jake liked that about him. He liked everything about Dirk.

The royal guard approached them again, frowning before taking Jake by his forearm. He pulled the Prospitian prince away from Dirk and lead him towards the bedroom doorway.

"Hey! You can't just-" Dirk was interrupted by the first guard.

"We're really sorry, your highnesses, but Jake just needs a moment alone with the council."

"Whatever they have to say to Jake they can say to the both of us!" Dirk hissed, stepping towards them again. Jake looked at his boyfriend with a sad smile, trying to reassure him that he was going to be just fine. The second guard peered at him before ushering a hardy "No." and closing the door on him.

And Dirk was left there, confused and worried about Jake. He quickly got dressed to sneak after them.

"Where are we going, guards?" Jake asked, walking in front of the two that were dragging him away from Dirk. He honestly felt as though he was being held prisoner.

"You and your sister have been charged with murder, Jake.." The second one said. Jake's face immediately fell. "You need to go confront the Royal Council with her, your highness."

Jake stayed silent and kept his head down. Now he _really_ felt like a prisoner. He stepped into the throne room, which had been turned into the Royal Council's lounge. There was a long table where his grandmother's throne used to be (it was currently under a sheet in the corner) with a variety of Prospitian citizens seated at it. Among them sat Latula Pyrope, Aranea Serket, Porrim Maryam and Rufio Nitram, along with some other bright-skinned Prospitian people. Aranea was standing in front of the long table, confronting Jake's little sister. He quickly jumped next to her, staring up at Aranea with a hard glare.

"It wasn't her, I swear!" He hissed.

"It may not have been, you're right." Aranea countered. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and Jake spotted guards lined up against the walls from the corner of his eye. "DNA was found on the corpse of our dear queen, along with bullets in the stomach of the king."

"That wasn't the king! He was an imposter!" Jake hissed back. Aranea stared at him, and he paused, swallowing nervously.

"We can't prove that." She spat. "But there is evidence to prove that you, Jake English, killed both of them. Along with the DNA, the investigation team found your fingerprints on the two hand guns by the king's corpse. So, until further investigation…" A guard came up to Jake before he could react and grabbed a hold of his arms, locking them behind his back.

"H-Hey! This is all wrong! I didn't-"

"You'll be kept in a holding cell. We'll make it as comfortable as possible for you, sire." Aranea finished coldly. She waved her hand to dismiss the guards, who tugged Jake out of the throne room on her command. Jade began to weep and he heard Dirk's footsteps echoing down the hallway.

"Wh- JAKE?!" Dirk screamed, bolting after the guards. "What happened, babe?! What's going on?!"

"I've been accused of murdering the king and queen." Jake said quietly. His tears were now noticeable, making Dirk's brain pound against his skull and force him into another terrible vision. This time, he watched Jake be locked away from him forever. He cried harder than ever before because he feared that it was actually happening.

When he came back into focus, he found himself propped against the wall, holding his head in his hands and crying madly. Tears poured from his eyes as his brother tried to hush him.

"He's gone, Dave! They've taken him away!" Dirk sobbed. Dave wrapped Dirk in an awkward hug and stayed quiet. Dirk just hugged his knees until the golden castle fell dark and silent, the sounds of Dirk's weeps being the only thing that echoed through the corridors that night.


	11. Trial and Error

_Chapter 11 – Trial and Error_

Jake's cell was gloomy and cold.

It made him feel like his world was coming to an end, which it practically was. He had been teared away from his boyfriend and his sister for something he didn't do. He wiped the overused tears from his tired eyes and leaned in the corner of his cot against the wall. He softly closed his eyes, attempting to drift off to sleep, but his anxiety got the better of him.

He rose from his spot and shook the bars of his holding cell for the guard's attention. "Can I go visit Dirk?" He pleaded.

"No." The guard hissed. "We can't let you out of your cell, your highness."

"I'm not going to run off or anything!" He croaked, a frog forming in his throat.

"I really wish I could, sire, but I can't... Not until your trial has concluded and you are pleaded 'not guilty'."

Jake swallowed back another sob and curled back up on his uncomfortable cot.

Meanwhile, Dirk was snapping in two. Dave sat beside Jake's bed, where Dirk was sobbing into the heated body pillow that Karkat had provided them with.

"I-It's not the same… It doesn't s-smell like him…" He cried. Dave frowned, feeling helpless for not being able to do anything. "I-I want him back, Dave…"

Dave would have made fun of him if he hadn't remembered that Dirk was still poisoned, and that he loved Jake.

When Dirk finally fell asleep, Dave and Karkat sat at the bedside and watched over him. They took turns on watch and reported how many times Dirk's body had tensed or how many times a tear had slipped down his cheek. With their hands intertwined, Dave and Karkat could be helpless together. At least they weren't alone.

Jake's trial wasn't held until the second week of August, which was two months after the death of the king and queen. Dirk had been allowed one visit per week to Jake's cell, and that was the only place where he didn't cry. Jake would hold him and tell him that everything was alright; that they were going to live happily ever after once this whole thing finally ended. When the visiting time was up and Dirk was pushed away, tears would race down his cheeks again.

* * *

Dirk couldn't handle being at the trial. In fact, he wasn't allowed. The Royal Council feared he would do something "dangerous" and would try to hurt them. They were right – Dirk wasn't only upset, he was angry. The taller blonde watched the trial through a security video on Jake's television, wrapped in Jake's t-shirt to try and keep himself from sobbing.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman of the jury." The judge's voice boomed through the court room. Jake watched nervously, wanting so badly to run off or jump out a window. "We are gathered here today to testify the trial of Prince Jake English of the planet Prospit. We will begin with the opening statement from plaintiff."

Court was boring, and it went on forever. The only part Jake actually payed attention to was Dave's interrogation.

"Please state your name to the court."

"Dave Strider."

"Mr. Strider, you and your brother arrived from Derse a few months ago, I hear?"

"Y-Yes, sir, we did. We snuck away from my home planet because we heard that something terrible was going to happen to the queen." Dave seemed nervous about just sitting in the witness stand. It made Jake nervous, too.

"And, when you arrived here, what were you met with?"

"We met Jade, and we found the queen dying when we got to her room. Jake rushed to help her but we were too late."

Jake put his head down but listened closely as they continued.

"So she was dead when you got there?"

"That's correct."

"What's one specific thing that you remember about that moment?"

Dave took a short pause and a deep breath. "Tears. And change. I remember knowing that nothing would ever be the same."

"Who else was there besides you three boys and Jake's grandmother?"

"Well… Th-The king, who was indeed an imposter, he was there… He claimed that he killed my dad – the REAL king of Derse – long before I knew about it, and he had killed Jake's grandmother, too…"

Jake couldn't listen anymore. Dave's words were bringing back terrible memories. When it was time for Dave's cross examination, Jake tuned back in.

"When the king chased you around the castle, did he hurt you?"

"N-No..." Dave stammered in response.

"Jake kicked the king off his feet, correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"And when the plaintiff did this, he proceeded to pull out his guns?"

"Well, he did, however he-"

"And he shot the king multiple times in the chest and once in the head?"

"Th-That's correct…"

"Ladies and gentleman of the jury…" Jake and Dave exchanged nervous glances as the trial continued.

* * *

Once the hellish trial was finally over, Jake had to sniffle back joyous tears at the verdict. More than 3/4ths of the jury had pleaded not guilty, and freed him of any charge the Royal Council put him on. When they exited the court room, Jake thanked his attorney and hugged her.

"You're the best, Meulin… I don't know what I'd do without you." Jake whispered, letting out a small sob.

"I'm here to serve, your majesty!" She purred with a giggle.

And soon, Jake was home again. He bolted straight for his bedroom, where Dirk was already sobbing happily into a pillow. Jake ran forwards and tackled him onto the sheets, planting kiss after kiss on his cheeks as he cried and laughed. Jake kissed away his tears, pushing the other's shades up to wipe his eyes.

"Shh, my love. I'm home."


	12. A Month Left

_Chapter 12 – A Month Left_

The castle was spick and span by the time Dirk and Dave had to return home.

There was a lot of controversy. The Strider brothers lived so far away, and Dirk didn't think he could make it without Jake to keep his tears down. Jake knew, however, that Dirk was only using it as an excuse to stay with him now. The poison that crowded Dirk's blood streams had gone away early September, a month before the day the two were to leave.

Jake was so relieved when he found out that Dirk wasn't having nightmares anymore. It lifted a huge weight off his chest – huge enough for him to take up his duties as prince once more.

Aranea and Jake had a talk a month before the Striders limo was to come pick them up. Dirk was taking a nap because he'd been up late planning how he could stay on Prospit. Dave was relaxing with Karkat in the gardens.

"You still have a duty to fulfil, Jake." Aranea's voice was soft, yet demanding. It made Jake's spine shiver.

"I can't, Aranea. I'm not ready… And besides, if we get married, who will take care of Derse? You can't expect to separate us. I'd never allow it in a million years." The brit rambled. Aranea frowned.

"I know you want to marry him." She said.

"So what if I do? So what if I want him to get on one knee, pull out an orange-encrusted diamond ring sealed in a black box with my name on it? So what if I want to stand at the alter with him?" Jake turned to her, his glare suddenly hardening. "Marriage is just promises. I already promised Dirk my heart, and he promised me his. What else do I need?"

She stuck her forked tongue between her pointed teeth and glanced into the bright sunlight coming in from the window. "Something legal to prove it."

Jake pondered over this for a while, and Dirk noticed that he had been quieter since his conversation with Aranea. He grabbed Jake's arm one day as he was getting out of bed to make breakfast.

"Jake," his voice was soft, yet raspy and tired. "Are you okay? You've been acting reclusive."

Jake looked back at his boyfriend and forced a smile. "I'm fine, Dirk! I've just been… thinking…" He bit down on his lip. Dirk pulled him back into bed and insisted they talk.

"Well, Aranea and I spoke a few days ago, and she says that I'm going have to marry you soon, because the Royal Council can't hold things up forever." Jake explained. Dirk just frowned.

"You… don't want to marry me?" He whimpered.

"Nonono I absolutely do," Jake recovered quickly, "just not right now. I'm still young, and I don't want to be…" He slowed to a pause.

"Say it. 'Tied down', right?" Dirk's voice was cracking. Jake tried to make up for that, too, but he couldn't find the right words. "It's okay, I get it. No point in promising our love." He slipped out the bedroom doorway and Jake prevented himself from running after him.

The brit wasn't sure if the poison from those daggers had made Dirk more sensitive or more emotional, but what he was sure of was that Jake English wasn't good with keeping things together. Sure, he could calm Dirk down with a few kisses and a hush, but he never knew what to say when the time came to fight for him.

He contemplated on what to do.

"No." He whispered. He ran out of his bedroom, finding Dirk in a hallway that was faintly lit by the golden sunset. He looked astonishing in the lighting, even though half of him was cloaked in shadow.

"Dirk, I didn't mean it that way." Jake took Dirk's hand with both of his. The blonde glanced back at him grimly. He said nothing, so Jake went on. "I… I do want to marry you, because I love you, Dirk. A lot. And I care about you a lot… It's not you, it's just me. I'm not ready to face the risks that marriage has to offer. But…" Jake knelt down, pulling a black box from his pocket. Dirk turned around to face him completely and stared at the little box, as if it was the most precious thing he'd ever seen. "For you, my love... I could power through anything. Just as long as you're by my side every step of the way."

Jake paused, taking a shaky, nervous breath. "D-Dirk Strider, will you make me the happiest prince alive and-" Jake popped open the box to reveal the ring inside. "-marry me?"

Jake hadn't noticed it before, but Dirk was crying again. He choked out a "yes" with a small noise and Jake stood to wrap Dirk in a warm embrace. Dirk quickly returned the hug and smiled as Jake kissed his tears away.

"I love you, Dirk." He whispered.

"I love you, too, Jake… We'll be the best damn kings these planets have ever seen." He whispered, making Jake laugh.

His laughter died down and he rested his head on Dirk's shoulder. "Once we're married, they're gonna force us apart…" The brit mumbled, his embrace getting tighter. "So I don't want to let go…"

Dirk paused and hugged him back. He felt stupid for not realizing that sooner. "I'm so sorry… I pressured you into this, didn't I…? Oh my God, I can't leave, I'm not getting into that limo…" He whispered.

"Shhh, you didn't pressure me into it. I was going to do it, anyway… You're not going to leave. I'll be at your side the whole time." Jake sniffled.

. . .

"Jake…?"

"Hm?"

"Wanna try something…?"


	13. IMPORTANT! AUTHOR

((A/N:

Ahhhh hi!

Omfg you guys I'm so sorry, I haven't posted a new chapter in so long.

I have a few chapters ready to go for you guys, so it's not that I'm lazy and I don't want to continue, it's that my Microsoft Word expired and I haven't gotten around to paying for a new subscription or copying the chapters into a new doc somewhere else

Again, I'm so sorry, and I feel bad that I didn't get to post anything for you guys. I'll work it out, I promise!  
Also, quick thing while I'm here, thank you guys for all your support and you're awesome reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far!

And one more thing I want to explain: The next chapter I'm going to post will be smut. But, skipping it will _NOT_ have an effect on the rest of the story. The sex scene has nothing to do with the plot, so if you want to skip it, you can, because I'll be posting another clean chapter right after it.

Okay, thank you guys again, and I appreciate your patience!))


	14. One More Author's Note!

((A/N: HELLOHELLO LONG TIME NO SEE

I AM SO EXCITED BECAUSE IM FINALLY GETTING MY MICROSOFT WORD BACK THIS AFTERNOON! I WILL POST THE CHAPTERS AS SOON AS THEY'RE READY- PROBABLY LATER TONIGHT. I'M SO SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING ALL THIS TIME, BUT I HOPE YOU'LL SOON FIND IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT!

Thank you so much for all the love and support this story gets. I'm excited to begin writing for this story again!))


	15. Trying Something (SMUT)

-NOTE: THIS CHAPTER IS SMUT. Can be skipped-

Before Jake knew it, Dirk was taking off his shirt, and the brit was staring. It looked hard and clean-cut, but to the touch it was soft and warm and muscular. Dirk pulled his fiancé close to him again, placing his hands on Jake's waist.

"You sure you're okay with this?" Dirk whispered. It was night now, and the castle was quiet and empty. Dirk and Jake were standing in the middle of Jake's bedroom. The stars in the window whispered to Jake to help him make the right choices. He was absolutely, 100%, without-a-doubt sure that he would fuck this up.

"That depends…" Jake teared his eyes away from the other's chest and reached to take his shades off. "How many other girls have you done this with?"

"Girls?" Dirk perked an eyebrow. "Jake, I'm the gayest scum in the universe. I've never done it with any girls."

"Well excuse me, Strider. How many _guys_ , then?"

"Do you want an honest answer or a preferable answer?"

"I don't know…" Jake gnawed on his lip. Dirk planted a warm kiss on his neck, making him shiver in delight.

"Hey, relax. You'll do fine, I promise. And if you don't like it or you aren't comfortable, then we don't have to. Ever." Dirk assured him.

Relieved, Jake ran his hand along Dirk's chest. His skin was so much smoother then his shirt. "Okay…" He whispered.

"I'll go easy on you, okay?"

"Wh-What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

"You're tensing up again, babe! Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I mean, we really shouldn't…"

"That settles it, the-"

"B-But I don't think that there's any benefit to not doing it."

"Okay, now I'm confused. Yes or no, baby." Dirk ran his fingers along Jake's arm. Jake looked back into his eyes. The blonde's shades were in Jake's hand, and his free hand was seemingly stuck to Dirk's chest.

In his eyes, Jake could tell that Dirk had wanted this. That he was ready for what was about to unfold between them. They flashed with confidence, and Jake swallowed, getting lost in the sea of glistening amber.

"I do." Jake muttered.

"Nice pun."

"Thanks, love." Jake giggled. He was already feeling more comfortable with the situation. Dirk could make him feel that way – that there was nothing else in the world he had to worry about.

"Now," Dirk started. He picked up his fiancé, resulting in a squeak from Jake. "You need to relax, okay? I'd never hurt you, I'd never want to make you feel uncomfortable. Therefore, I won't be mad if at any time, you stop me and tell me you're not comfortable, or that you've changed your mind, or-"

"Just get started before you talk me out of it." Jake rolled his eyes. Dirk smiled, laying Jake down on his bed. The blonde dove for his neck and Jake's breath hitched when he felt his warm kisses. Jake felt Dirk's hands starting to slip up his shirt, and he didn't know what to concentrate on anymore. He ran his fingers through Dirk's golden hair, giving him permission to keep going.

Jake wondered how many guys Dirk had done this with. The blonde knew exactly where his sweet spots were, and he licked and nipped at them. Moans slipped off of Jake's tongue and he felt his waist begin to tighten. Jake slipped his own shirt off, and Dirk smiled, making Jake's heart warm. He began kissing down Jake's neck again, and eventually his soft lips trailed down his chest and his stomach. Dirk kissed every part of him with care, as if one wrong move would shatter Jake like glass.

As Dirk reached his waist line, he began playing with Jake's pants, looking up at him for permission. Face already flushed, Jake kicked his pants off, and Dirk grinned with satisfaction. Jake could feel his heartbeat in his member, which was beginning to make a tent in his boxers. It was embarrassing, but Dirk didn't seem to mind it all that much.

Dirk massaged around his member, kissing the sensitive parts of his thighs and making Jake moan. He had never been so tempted to cry out in frustration. Dirk slipped Jake's underwear off, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his member. Jake squirmed slightly as Dirk massaged his waist again, closer to it this time. Dirk reached up to peck Jake's lips and reassure him that he knew what he was doing. Jake kissed back longingly and nodded. He watched as his fiancé wrapped his lips around his member and begin licking and sucking at him.

Jake was an absolute mess. He was moaning Dirk's name as loud as a fire engine's siren. His whole body seemed to be sweating, and his waist wiggled with each movement of Dirk's tongue. Reaching to card his fingers through Dirk's hair, Jake found himself thrusting into Dirk's mouth. The other gladly accepted and deep-throated him, and Jake's moaning got louder and heavier. Dirk rubbed at the remaining part of Jake that he couldn't fit into his mouth

"D-Dirk, I-I think I…" Jake felt a warm liquid escape him, and he covered his face with his free hand out of embarrassment. Dirk smiled as he pulled his lips off of Jake's member and reached to kiss him again. Hard. Jake kissed back with just as much passion. Then the brit pulled away, staring up at the blonde. _His_ blonde.

"Are you ready?" Dirk whispered. Jake nodded, and words slipped from his lips before he knew he was saying them.

"I want you in me," he whispered. He could feel Dirk's spine tingling with joy and anticipation. Dirk beamed, pulling off his own jeans and boxers as Jake nipped at his neck.

"What were you talking about? You're great at this." Dirk mumbled back with a small, pained chuckle. Just then, Jake noticed how hard he was. His cheeks flushed and Dirk leaned in to kiss him again. Dirk pinned him to the sheets once more and smiled reassuringly. "Okay, now just relax…" Dirk slowly stuck his finger into Jake's butt, making him squeak.

"D-Dirk…" He moaned, and Dirk knew he'd hit the right spot. He stuck another finger in and Jake tensed up. Dirk hushed him with care and pecked his nose.

"You need to relax, or it's going to be a rough ride for the both of us." He whispered. Jake nodded nervously and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. Dirk slowly stuck another finger into him, and Jake took another large, deep breath.

Dirk smiled again, reaching towards his nightstand. He pulled out a bottle of something and rubbed it on his member. Jake braced himself as he felt something warm slide into him. But it wasn't bad – it was actually extremely pleasuring. Jake's back arched as he moaned, and Dirk slowly thrusted himself into the other. His member hit Jake's prostate gland square on, making Jake moan his name louder.

"D-Daddy…" Jake gasped. Dirk blushed and thrusted harder. Jake had just found one of his shameful kinks.

"Who's your daddy?" Dirk said softly, smiling deviously as he leaned closer to Jake's ear. His warm breath tickled Jake's tan skin.

"Y-You're my daddy, Dirk…" Jake moaned, arching his back again.

The two continued for quite a while before Dirk pulled himself out of his boyfriend. Jake whined unintentionally but didn't complain further as Dirk plopped down next to him. The blonde pulled the covers over both of their tired, sweaty, more-then-likely-gonna-be-sore-tomorrow bodies. Jake curled up next to his blonde and took heavy breaths.

"I love you, Dirk…" He whispered before he drifted off. Dirk smiled tiredly and wrapped his arms around him. He kissed his fiancé's forehead and nuzzled into his damp hair.

"Love you more, Jake…" And he fell into a deep sleep.


	16. Problems With No Solutions

Jake slept in for hours the next morning.

When he woke up, his lower back was sore, and he could feel bumps and bruises along his neck. He winced slightly and his cheeks heated when he remembered the night before. He hoped to God that Jade, Dave or Karkat hadn't walked in and seen anything… Or heard anything, for that matter.

Jake sat up, only to find a pair of pale arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

"Lay down, baby." Dirk's voice echoed. Nervously, Jake laid back down, hugging his chest. Dirk kissed his head, and Jake returned it with a small hum of content.

Later, Dirk had forced Jake to relax by the fireplace with a nice cup of coffee and watch the news. Jake was in denial at first, but he couldn't find the words to argue with. He complied and sat down on the couch with Dirk's spare t-shirt draped over him. Dave walked in and sat next to him as he flicked on the news.

"And now, more news from our favorite royal families," the news anchor announced.

"Here we go again." Jake groaned, earning a small chuckle from Dave.

"Our reporters are skeptical of a particular Strider, and his business with a certain Prospitian princess." She continued. Jake's jaw dropped as the word "princess" came into play. "Is Dave Strider in a secret affair with Jade? The two were seen hugging and exchanging pecks to the cheek last week. Should this be legal? We'll have more on the story later today, so stick around."

Jake swung his head at Dave, who barely had time to react before the brit jumped on him, tackling to the floor. Jake pinned him down, staring into his round shades with burning, angry eyes.

"J-Jake, that's a lie!" He stuttered, wincing as Jake's grip on his pale wrists got tighter. "I swear! Jade is like my sister!"

"She's not your sister!" Jake snarled.

"Well, she's gonna be, soon!"

"What?" Jake felt someone picking him up and huffed as he stared at his fiance. "Dirk, put me down! He kissed my fucking sister!" Jake struggled in his grip.

"What happened?" Dirk shot his brother a confused look.

"Nothing!" Dave sat up and put his hands in front of himself defensively.

"And he knows about the proposal!" Jake added, finally managing to break free. He fell to the floor but soon rose again and dusted himself off.

"What?!" Dirk looked even more confused, yet he was more upset then anything.

"Now, look, I can explain everything." Dave was on his feet now, too, backing away from the couple nervously. They both stared him down, and he knew he had to explain quickly. "I saw you two in the hall the other day. I didn't hear much, but I saw the ring, and-"

Dirk suddenly picked his brother up by the collar of his shirt. Dave winced, and Jake watched them, afraid to interfere.

"If you tell anyone," Dirk hissed in a low whisper, "you're in big fucking trouble. If they found out that Jake and I are to be married, they'd plan it all for us. Then they'd tear us apart, forcing us to take care of our own kingdoms."

"Wh-What? Really? That's messed up…" Dave squeaked.

"I know." Dirk sighed, putting his brother down as carefully as possible. Dave caught his balance and swallowed. "That's why we're running away."

"What?!" Jake and Dave said in unison.

"Are you insane?! We can't run away!" Jake rebelled. "Is there still poison from those daggers in you?!"

"We have to. It's the only way we'll be happy." Dirk replied, taking both of Jake's hands in his and squeezing them.

"Dirk, you can't just speed off with your fiancé and leave these planets leaderless! Jade and I are too young and inexperienced to run these planets alone. We have to put our responsibilities before all else." Dave insisted, rubbing at his teary eyes.

"I'm sick of thinking about what's good for everyone else. I want what's good for us." Dirk squeezed Jake's hands again. "I can't be separated from him. Never, ever again. I'd kill myself."

"Dirk!" Jake exclaimed, but Dirk didn't listen.

Dave didn't seem to know what to say, until he finally spoke up again. "You can't leave, and that's final! I already lost dad, and I am not losing you, too!" He whimpered. Both Dirk and Jake could tell he was crying.

"It's not like we're gonna disappear completely. We'll still be around, in the nearest solar system, perhaps. You need to be strong now, Dave. You're old enough to make the right choices, and you have the council behind you."

"Dirk, my love, I can understand where you're coming from, but this is not a good idea." Jake intervened again, turning his fiancé's head so that they were facing one another. "Dave's right - we can't just leave. We have duties to fulfill."

"Well, what else are we supposed to do?! I don't want to leave you, Jake. What other option do we have?" Dirk replied.

"I…" Jake hesitated and glanced at Dave, who was visibly crying now. "I-I don't know…"


	17. Frustration

_Chapter 15 - Frustration_

The halls were quiet for the rest of the day. Everyone was busy in their heads, trying to come up with a plan. Jake's brain buzzed as he fought back tears, trying to conjure up a plan for the future. He didn't want to leave Dirk- he practically _couldn't_ , for fear that the poison would come back and creep into his veins again- but it seemed like he didn't have a choice. Even if they wanted to rule the two planets together, they were too far apart from each other.

Jake couldn't figure this out on his own, he knew. But Dirk was smart- and if anyone could make up a plan to keep them together, it was him. However, they needed time, which was quickly running out. The Royal Councils were beginning to get anxious about going home, and Jake knew it wouldn't be long before they'd abandon their positions and go home, anyways. As smart as the councilmen were, they were all fairly selfish.

Jake pondered this as he got lost in the labyrinth of the Prospitian castle's hallways. The white-gold sunlight illuminated the space around him and made the skies shine blue. Jake curiously peeked out the window and towards the clouds. Maybe they could help him, he pondered. The clouds were the only things magical on Prospit, and they predicted futures, near and far.

The Prospitian prince pushed the window open, his sore hips yelling at him when he bent over. Jake winced and put a hand to his side before focusing on the clouds.

In one large cloud, images began to play. It showed Jake a pattern of stars, a ring being slipped onto someone's finger, and then a red substance dripping from something. Jake raised an eyebrow to this, and then jumped as the next image revealed itself- Dirk and Dave, disappearing into thin air in a flash of white, leaving nothing in their wake. Jake bit his lip nervously. What could all that mean?

Jake decided to confront his fiancé on the issue. He strolled down the hall and searched for Dirk, who had since disappeared after the confusion with Dave. After minutes of searching and calling his name, he found Dirk in Jake's bedroom, curled up in the desk chair. There were papers everywhere- crumpled, ripped, scribbled on… The ones that Jake could see looked like cartoons of two people put in different situations.

"Dirk…?" Jake slowly approached the curled up figure and put a hand on his shoulder. Dirk glanced to his fiancé with eyes so shiny that they looked like glass. "You okay, doll?" the brit frowned.

Soon, Dirk's arms coiled around his neck and he hugged Jake tight. "Don't leave..." Dirk murmured with a sniffle. Jake hugged Dirk back and picked him up from the chair, carrying him like a tree hugging a koala to the bed.

"Don't worry about it, okay…?" Jake whispered, laying down with the blonde boy and cuddling him close.

Dirk was silent for a few moments, and then he took in a shaky breath and nestled further into Jake's chest. "I still think we should run away. The Royal Council could pick a new king or queen for each planet and start anew. We could take Dave and Jade with us." He sniffled and looked over Jake's shoulder as he spoke.

"We can't do that, my love… I can't leave these planets in the hands of strangers." Jake replied softly. "And besides- if we leave it up to the Royal Councils to choose a ruler, Aranea is going to take over Prospit. She has no idea how to run a planet."

"Well, neither do I.."

"Yes you do. And even if you don't, you have me."

"What, then." Dirk hiccupped. "What are we to do if we can't find paradise?"

Jake carded his fingers through Dirk's blonde hair. "We'll make our own paradise." He kissed Dirk's forehead as he sobbed, burying his face in Jake's shoulder to hide his tears.

* * *

A few days later, at dinner, Dirk arrived late. He looked drained and tired, but he was smiling so wide that his cheeks were almost nonexistent. Jake glanced up from his plate and raised an eyebrow.

"What happened, sweetie? Why the devilfucking dickens are you smiling like that?" he questioned, thinking Dirk was trying to hide devastation.

"Would you believe," Dirk sat down next to his fiancé and gave him a large kiss on his cheek. "That I've got the solution."

"You do?!" Jake's eyes lit up and he smiled. Dave, Jade and Karkat all looked at each other with excitement. "Well, don't keep it from us, then! What've you got in mind, my dear?" Jake added.

"It's nothing special," Dirk leaned on the table with pride and grinned at each one of them. "Jake and I will simply travel between planets, and we'll leave select members of the Royal Council in charge when we're not there. For example, if we stay on Derse for a few months, we leave three to five councilmen in charge of Prospit. And, we'll be in constant communication with them. If something goes wrong and we're needed, we'll just make the trip back."

"Dirk, that's brilliant!" Jake hugged the blonde tightly with a smile on his face. "You think it'll work out?"

"Sure it will. The councilmen get plenty of time home, and we get to rule together." Dirk kissed his fiancé's cheek again and made him giggle.

"What about us?" Dave piped up.

"You guys can do whatever you'd like." Dirk put a hand around Jake's shoulders as he spoke. "It doesn't really matter what planet you stay on… And I don't know if you want to travel with Jake and I, but you're welcome to."

Dave gave a small nod. It seemed as though he had something on his mind, but he stayed quiet through the rest of dinner.

When dinner was over, Dave caught Dirk alone. Orso he thought, until he saw Jake on the other side of him, saying something that Dave couldn't quite hear. Dave frowned a little and tapped Dirk's shoulder. The older Strider turned to face his brother with a look ov curiosity striking his exposed eyes. Dirk quickly flipped his sunglasses back down, hoping to keep his cool.

"What's up, little man?" Dirk cleared his throat.

"I'd like to speak with you." Dave looked to Jake and gave him a polite smile. "Alone… please…"

Jake glanced between Dirk and Dave before nodding. He gave Dirk's hand a squeeze and left the room. Dirk watched him walk off for a few moments before glancing to Dave again.

"Why don't I just rule one planet?" Dave began once he had successfully captured his brother's attention. "I'll take over Derse, and you and Jake can rule Prospit."

Dirk frowned a bit. "You're too young to go off ruling planets by yourself. Besides, you're not even married."

"Dad wasn't-" Dave hesitated and bit back his words. Had he already forgotten about his deceased mother? "N-Nevermind… But, Dirk, I really think I can rule Derse."

"No more buts, Dave.. I've made up my mind." Dirk turned to leave, but Dave grabbed his shoulder.

"What if I marry Karkat?"

A nervous silence lingered in the hall for a moment, and Dirk slowly turned to face his brother again. The older blonde seemed… upset. Dave almost growled to this discovery. Dave was happy about Dirk and Jake getting married- why couldn't he support Dave's decision?

"You're too young to marry." Dirk said in a matter-of-fact manner that made Dave want to kill him. "Don't make such quick decisions, Dave… You still have time to be a bachelor, so use it."

Dave clenched a fist by his side. "You think my love for Karkat is just puppy love?" he said, as calmly as he could. Striders had a talent for hiding their emotions.

"I… I didn't say that." Dirk frowned back.

"You practically did,"

"But I didn't…"

"What if I think you and Jake's relationship is just young love?!" Dave snapped. "You don't really love him, you're just power hungry, and wracked with grief. Just like Dad. Just like that clown."

"Dave!" Dirk frowned, his eyes glowing orange. "You take that back! I love Jake with all my heart!"

"WHAT HEART?!" Dave pushed him and then walked away before either of them could say anything more.

Dirk just watched his brother disappear down the hall. He threw his shades on the ground in anger and stepped on them until he was in tears. He hated how emotional the poison had made him, and he hated Dave, and he needed a break.

"Jake!" he sobbed. In an instant, Jake was at his side, and Dirk pulled him to the garden for some silence.

Minutes later, Jake had his arms wrapped around Dirk, who had managed to stop his crying. They both watched the stars above them and enveloped themselves in the warmth of each other and the silence of the garden.

Soon, however, Jake cleared his throat. "I've been meaning to tell you about what the cloud showed me."


End file.
